Ireland gets cracking

Up to two million eggs are expected to the cracked open in Irish kitchens today as people take part in World Egg Day.

A feast of family favourites made with eggs will be whipped up for breakfast, lunch and dinner from scrambled eggs to omelettes, quiches, tarts and frittatas.

Almost 380 million eggs were sold in Irish retail stores last year, and sales of eggs are growing faster than most grocery products. Retail sales of eggs are up 6.6 per cent in value (€92m) and three per cent in volume terms. This is mainly due to Irish shoppers buying more eggs and doing so more regularly.

A recent survey carried out for Bord Bia by TradeWins on a representative sample of 1,000 adults in Ireland’s major cities and towns found that the majority (81 per cent) said they “always have eggs in the house”.

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When questioned about their favourite egg dishes, 27 per cent said they prefer scrambled eggs on toast, while 21 per cent went for boiled eggs and 19 per cent favour frittatas or omelettes. Pancakes were also highly rated as a favourite dish while cakes and other sweet treats are also egg-based favourites.

The TradeWins research found that almost 70 per cent of the population know that ‘An Egg a Day is OK’ with 73 per cent saying they would include eggs in a healthy diet plan to help reduce weight. Eggs are a true superfood containing an excellent source of quality protein, vitamins and minerals. They are also affordable and widely accessible. At an average of 24 cent per egg, they are one of the most cost-effective high quality foods available.

The vast majority (84 per cent) of people who took part in the Bord Bia research said they check their eggs before they purchase them to make sure the eggs are not cracked in the box. 44 per cent said they always check before buying while 40 per cent usually check and 16 per cent never check. Bord Bia advises people to look for the Bord Bia Quality Mark when buying eggs and to store eggs in the fridge.

A wide range of recipes for egg dishes to suit every taste and occasion have been published on www.eggs.ie and on Bord Bia’s Quality Kitchen Facebook page. The most popular recipes viewed on the website include ‘what’s in the fridge omelette’, a range of vegetarian frittatas, bacon and leek quiche and cheese and tomato macaroni. The favourite sweet recipes viewed are pancakes and lemon drizzle cake.